1: Les Philosophes

28, Rue Vieille du Temple, 75004 Paris, France

Great for people watching. Food was ok, but try the menu of the day rather than the house specialities.

2: Chez Janou

2, Rue Roger Verlomme, 75003 Paris, France   [01-42-72-28-41]

Large portions of good and reasonably priced Southern French cuisine in a brightly colored dining room. Closed between 3-7 daily.

3: Monjul

28, Clos des Blancs-Manteaux, 75004 Paris, France   [01 42 74 40 15]

Well thought out menu and interior make Monjul worthwhile. A couple will get away with a great meal, a bottle of wine and a Kir Royal for no less than €100.

By Sarah–

As you know from my last post I am now living in Paris. Life is starting to settle to a normal pace so I have time to share some of my discoveries.  In the first month in Paris I rented a short term studio in the Marais (French for marshes), a neighborhood with an interesting culture.  There are museums including some of my favorites such as Centre Pompidou and the Picasso museum.  I chose the Marais because of its constant activity, plus, luckily I was able to find a ‘reasonably’ priced apartment (€1,400 fully furnished). I loved it when I first arrived, but quickly realized that the byproducts of the hustle and bustle is a lot of noise and the inability to escape it. Therefore, I choose my permanent apartment in the more tranquil 13th, so expect to read more about my findings in my new neighborhood.  First click through for share a few of my favorite discoveries in the Marais including a handy interactive map that will help you find what I consider to be worthwhile.

Recommendations, Les Philosophes: 28, Rue Vieille de Temple: Ph: 01 4887 4964

• Do not confuse the nearby “Rue du Temple” with “Rue Vieille de Temple”
• Excellent people watching location
• The house specialties of tomato tart tartin and duck under whelmed me
• If you want to eat there try selections from the menu of the day over the house specialties
• Great outdoor people watching

Second, for pastis and a delicious Sunday lunch, I recommend Chez Janou. Tucked into a corner a block from Place de Vosges is this airy restaurant with a brightly colored interior specializing in Southern French cuisine. Before going for Sunday lunch I tried to have dinner at this restaurant twice, both times without success as the wait was long and I too hungry. We were running on American time for an early lunch (Noon) and they had a seat for us, I recommend making a reservation because by 1:00 the place was full. We started the meal with pastis, they have 35 different flavors for only €3.50. Usually I am not a fan of this liquorish flavored drink mixed with water, but at Chez Janou their extremely friendly (and English speaking) servers recommended a melon flavored one that I quite liked. For the meal we tried a starter of escargot in a light cream sauce that was quickly gone. As for the main courses we had scallops with risotto and duck with potatoes; each dish was hearty and flavorful. Overall, I was satisfied with Chez Janou. It has a warm interior (which could be a little cramped for groups of six or more), large, tasty portions and pastis. We got all this for only €66.00 including a bottle of wine.

My recommendations for Chez Janou: 2 rue Roger-Verlomme:  Ph: 01-42-72-28-41

• Make a reservation, but if you can’t then arrive early
• The food was plenty and very tasty so bring your appetitie
• Try the pastis

And finally my new favorite place for an excellent meal, Monjul. I am always looking for a new and interesting place and I walked by Monjul a few times before it caught my eye. The understated, yet elegant, exterior does not scream its presence but the menu and pictures persuade me to give it a shot. During the first visit I was blown away by how well thought out this place is from the dishes to the food. I have now eaten there twice and still can’t wait to return. I recommend everyone I know to eat here because the meal is a delighting combination of cultures and flavors in a comfortable and elegant space. For me, the defining characteristic of Monjul is the attention to detail. For a precursor to my starter I was brought a shot glass filled with a tomato gazpacho that had a combination of flavors that included (I think) fish, fresh tomato, jalapeno and pineapple. It was a spicy, savory, sweet bit of deliciousness that ramped up my expectations for the meal. My real starter was a smooth cold asparagus soup topped with white foam that managed to make the quiet robust flavored soup seem delicate. Also on the plate were a few pieces of pickled asparagus and a sweet sauce. One of the most exciting elements of the meal is that the chef really understands how to combine the flavors on the plate to create interesting changes to the dish, each time you combine the elements in a different way it takes on a new flavor! The main and the dessert were both as great as the starter, I had the lotte (monkfish) which was served with fresh dill, parsley and a few Parmesan crisps along side a wasabi paste. The desert was a mix of banana flavors, from milkshake, ice cream and chocolate cake. The second time that I visited Monjul was just as great as the first. From the photographs we snapped of the meal you can see what we tried a bit of everything on the menu!

My recommendations for Monjul: 28, Rue Blancs Manteaux: PH: 01 42 74 40 15

• Try it!
• The dinner menu comes in at €29 which when you add wine can reach over €100 for a couple, however, as is true for most French restaurants lunch is 30% less for fixed menus
• Make reservations, the place only seats about 50 and they do not rush to turn over the tables so get in early and stay late.

The Marais is a fun area so check it out if you have time while you are in Paris. If you have time and recommendations for me to check out please let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Sarah

Bookmark: